US628679A

US628679A - Leo simmons

Info

Publication number: US628679A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1899-07-11
Anticipated expiration: 1916-07-11

Description

No. 628,679. Patented l'uly Il, |899.

y L SIMMONS. MARINE. MEBRY-GU-ROUND.

(Application led Jan. 26, 1899.)

2 sheets-sheet l.

(No Model.)

nu. 528,679. y Patented my n, |899.

L. smnons.

MARINE HEBRY-G0-BOUND.

(Applicntion filed Ian. 26, 1899.)

(N0 HWSL) 2 Sheets-Shui 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEO SIMMONS, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

MARINE MERRY-,Go-RouND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,679, dated July 11, 1899,

Application filed January 26,'1899.

T0 a/ZZ whom, t r11/ty con/cern:

Be it known that I, LEO SIMMONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vashington,- in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Marine Merry-Go-Rounds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a marine merry-goround.

It is the main object of my invention to providean apparatus for affording amusement and pleasure wherein a number of boats are caused to travel over an artificial body of water in a circular path by means operated from a central source of power.

A further object of the invention relates to the arrangement and operation of the power mechanism for moving the boats, whereby said mechanism will be entirely hid from view and the boats have the appearance of being moved by motive power carried by each boat or by other means not readily discovered, thus serving to perplex as well as am use those using the device.

Afurther object of the invention relates to improved means for producing an artilicial agitation, commotion, or undulation of the water, whereby the boats will be rocked or wave-tossed more or less severely in a manner similar to the action of a natural body of rough water, this unexpected action of the water serving,further,to amuse and entertain the occupants.

A further object of the invention is to provideacontinuous multiform reflecting device in the center of the body of water, operating, as will be understood, to` confusev the occupants of the boats as to the number of Vboats on the water and as to the distance across the body of water.

Still further objects of the invention relate to certain detailsof construction and operation of parts which will more clearly hereinafter appear.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an apparatus constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan. vieu1 ofthe same.

Fig. 2.

Serial No. 703,467. (No model.)

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of parts of the devices for operatively connecting the boats to the propelling means. Fig. 5 is a sectional View on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

y Like numerals of reference indicate corre-v sponding parts throughout the several vie ws. The numeral l indicates a tank, which is preferably of circular form and is Iseated in and surrounded by a wooden, cement, or other framing 2, affording at one side of the tank a foundation 3 for the bottoml of the tank to rest upon. Throughout the greater portion of the extent of the tank the upper edgelor rim thereof is preferably curved or rounded over the adjacent inner edge of the framing, as shown at 4, and at the extremity of the curved portion is provided an integral vertically-extendingwall 5, forming an annular guard or dashboard. At that side or part of shall enter the boats the wall 5 is cut away for a short distance and the rim portion 4 is flattened, as shown at 6, and extends at right angles to said iiattened portion, as shown at 7, whereby to provide an annular seat, the

the tank where it is designed that persons framing 2 being correspondingly shaped at this point.

The numeral 8 indicates what I will term a gang-plank and which comprises a relatively thick platform having secured at its inner end, to extend at right angles thereto, a flange l0, said platform and flange being braced by one or more brace-bars, as shown at l1. The gang-plank S is of a width to fit snugly in the cut-away portion of the rim, as

.shown in Fig. 2, and at the angle formed by the iiange 10 and platform S it is pivotally secured in any suitable manner to the straight edge ofsaid rim, as indicated at l2 in said In' the position of the gang-plank shown in Fig. l, in which it is turned back or out of operative position, the flange lO provides a continuation of the dashboard 5. When turned into operative position, as shown in dotted lines in said ligure, the flange 10 rests against the flat side G of the rim of the tank, and thus operates as a support to hold the platform in a horizontal position above the water, so that persons may walk out upon the same and enter the boats as they are successively moved to the gang-plank.

The numerals 1S indicate the boats.

Six

IOO

or more boats are intended to be used with the device,as represented in the drawings,and y `edge of the tank is another space, forming a passage-way, and through the said Way is exfy tended a shaft `16, having at its inner end a bevel-gear 17, and at its opposite end being connected with suitable driving mechanism for turning it, the driving mechanism-not be ing shown. Extending upward through the center of the tank is a shaft 18, secured to which within the tank is a hub 19. On the lower end of the shaft 1S is secured a rela` tively large horizontallydisposed bevel-gear 20, which is in mesh with the bevel'gear 17. A stuffing-box 21 on the bottom of the tank surrounds the shaft 18 and prevents leakage of water at this point, as will be understood. Secured at their inner ends in the hub19 and at equal distances around its periphery are 1 six or more arms 22, which extend outward l disposed.

.from said hub in the manner of the spokes of aj Wheel, except that they are horizontally The outer end ot` each arm 22 is seated in a socket-block 23, and in opposite sides of each socket-block are secured the ends of connecting-rods 24, which extend between each pair of arms 22, and thus firmly connect and brace thearms. Secured on each arm 22, at a suitable distance from the outer end, is a second socket-block 25, and a sec ond series of connecting-rods 26 have their ends secured inthese socket-blocks to further brace the arms 22. To prevent the arms 22 from sagging, a brace-rod 27 extends be- .neath each of said arms, to which it is connected at one end, as shown, its opposite end being secured in the hub 19. It will be seen that the series of connecting-

rods

24 and 26 are connected in such manner as to form a framework of polygonal shape. Secured near opposite ends of each counecting-rod and on each side of a socket-block 23 is a clamping-nut 28. Secured on each arm 22, near the outer end thereof, is a clamping-nut 20, formed integral with the upper member of which and rising verticallyT therefrom is an upright 30, having a vertically-disposed slot 31; Extending upward from each clampingnut 28vis a brace-rod 32, which brace-rods at their outer ends are connected to the upright 30 on opposite sides and near the top thereof, On each arm 22, at'a point where the socketblock 25 is secured, is a clampingmut 33, from which rises an upright 34, having a slot 35, these parts being shown in Fig. 5, and on each connectingrod 26 are clamping-n uts 36, from which brace-rods 37 extend and are connected to the upright 34. It will thus be seen that by this construction llprovide near the outer end of each radial. arm 22 two vertical. paral v2 essere lel uprights having coinciding or registering slots. Slidabl ysecu red within the respective slots of each pair of uprights 30 34 are opposite ends of a rod 38, to which are secured two arms 39,having at their upper ends hooks 40, engaging in eyelets4l, secured on the bottom of each boat. The rod 32 is held from lateral movement in the slots by means of two stops 42, secured on said rod and bearing against the inner sides of the respective uprights 30 34 the sides of said stop adjacent` tothe uprights being rounded, as shown, to permit the rod 38 to assume positions other than horizontal, and thus not interfere with the rocking mot-ion of the boats. l

The peculiar connection of the boats just described willallow them to have a free movement both vertically and radially and will entirely obviate shocks and jars incident to starting and stopping the boats.

I have shown two propellers 43 44 respectively located on opposite sides of the tank and inclined upward toward the path of the boats or in a manner to propel currents or rolling waves of Water against the bottom of each boat as it reaches the vicinity of either propeller, said currents or waves of water being projected in a direction, with that of the boat, thus reducing the initial force of pr 0 pulsion. By this arrangement the force of the current created by the propellers will create a rolling wave, thus lifting'either the forward or rearward portion or end of the boats as they run forward, giving them a natural and even rocking motion, it being understood that the propellers are driven with sufcient force to agitato the Whole body ofl water in the tank. The roughest portions, however, would of course be in the vicinity of the respective propellers.

The operation will be readily understood. The parts being assembled as described, the shaft 16 :is revolved by any source of power, and through the medium of bevel-gears17 and 20 and shaft 18 the hub 19 is thereby revolved, carrying around with it the arms 22, havingthe boats 13 connected thereto in the manner described. In the initial operation as each boat is brought opposite gang-plank 8 the motion is stopped until the desired number of persons have entered the boat, when the apparatus is again started and the next iboat brought opposite the gang-plan k. After all the boats have been filled the gang-plank iis turned back to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. If so desired, a like gang plank may be placed in Various places around the tank, thus providing means for loading and unloading quickly. The shaft 16 is again revolved and the speed gradually increased untilthe boats are caused to travel at the desired rate through the water. The propellers 43 44 are at the same time or subsequently set in motion to agitate the water.

In order to confuse those in the boats as to the true size of the body ofwater and as to IOO IIO

the number of boats thereon, I provide in the center of the tank a multiform reliecting device, (indicated by the numeral 45.) Y This device comprises a frame 46, suitably secured to the shaft 18 and hub 19 to turn therewith and supporting a structure of polygonal shape above the body 'of water, on the faces of which are secured a number of mirrors 47, which project below the surface of the water, as shown.

Any desired ornamental style of top may be employed for the structure. The mirror 47 will operate by reflection to produce the result indicated, as will be clearly understood without further description.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim isl. A marine merry-go-round comprising a tank containing water, a hub centrally and revolubly mounted in said tank, a series of radial arms carried bythe hub, a boat loosely connected to each of said arms, means for revolving said hub, and an upwardly-inclined propeller or propellers submerged in the body of water and having the blades thereof directed in the path of the boats so as to project cnrrents ofwater against the bottom of each boat as it passes in the vicinity of the propellers so as to impart a rocking motion to the boats.

2. A marine merry-go-round comprising a tank containing a body of water, a hub centrally and revolubly mounted in vsaid tank, a series of radial arms carried by said hub, boats connected respectively to the outer end of each of said arms, a multiform reflecting device supported on said hub, the reflectingfaces of which extend from a point below the water-level to a suitable distance above the wafer-level so that the body of water will be reflected in the reiiecting device for the purpose specilied, and means for revolving said hub.

3. A marine merry-go-round comprising a tank containing water, a hub centrally and revolubly mounted in said tank, a series of radial arms carried by said hub, a pair of uprights carried by each arm and having registering slots, a rod having its `opposite ends slidably mounted in said slots, arms secured to and extending upward from said rod, a boat connected to the outer ends of said arms, and means for revolving said hub, substantially as described.

4. A marine merry-go-round comprising a tank containing water, a hub centrally and revolubly mounted in said tank, a series of radial arms carried by said hub, a pair of uprights carried by each arm and having registering slots, a rod having opposite ends slidably mounted in said-slots, stops on saidA rod having rounded surfaces bearing respectively on opposite inner sides'of said uprights, arms securedto and extending upward from said rod, a boat connected to the outer ends of said arms, and means for revolving said hub, substantially as described.

5. A marine merry-go-round comprising a tank containing water, a hub centrally and revolubly mounted in said tank, a series of radial arms carried bysaid hub, a series of pairs of spaced connecting-rods uniting said arms, clamping-n u ts on said connecting-rods, a pair of uprights secured on each of said arms and having slotsin alinement,bracebars'connecting opposite sides of said uprights and said clamping-nuts,a rod having opposite ends slidably mounted in said slots,arms secured to and extending upward from said rod and having outer hooked ends, a boat having on its bottom eyelets engaging said hooked ends,.and means for revolving said hub, substantially as described.

(i. In an apparatus of the class described,the combination with atank having a surrounding flange provided with a cut-away portion, and a rim affording a flat side, of a gang-plank pivotally secured in said cut-away portion and having at said pivoted end a liange extending at right angles thereto and designed in the operative position ofthe gang-plank to rest against said iiat side of the rim and thereby support the gang-plank in a horizontal position and when folded back outof operative position the said fiange forming a continuation of the surrounding liange of the tank, substantially as described.

7. A marine merry-go-round comprising a tank containing water,a revolu ble hub mounted centrally in said tank, a series of radial arms carried by said hub, a plurality of boats arranged within the tank, a lpair of arms loosely connected at their upper ends to the bottom of each boat so that the boats will have a free movement thereon independent of the movement of the arms, and said arms being slidably connected at their lower ends to the said radial arms, and means for revolving said hub.

8. A marine merry-go-round comprising a tank containing a body of water, a revoluble frame submerged within the body of water, a plurality of boats arranged within the tank and adapted to travel over said body of water, arms loosely connected at their upper ends to the bottom of each boat so that the latter will have a free movement independent of the movement of the arms, and said arms having a slidable connection at their lower ends with the said frame,'and means for revolving the latter to propel the boats.

9. A marine merry-go-round comprising a tank containing a body of water, a plurality of boats arranged to travel in a circular path over the said body of water, means for propelling said boats, and upwardly-directed rotary propellers, submerged within the body of water in the tank, the blades of said propellers being arranged to project currents of water against the bottom of each boat during its ,passage in the vicinity of the said propellers, to impart a rocking motion to said boats. v

lO. A marine merry-go-round comprising a IOO IIO

4, i eee-57e tank containing n bodyof Water, amullziloi'm lo travel over the body of Water, and means reflecting devieetsupported in the center of foi1 propelling the boats. 1o the tank and having the leffleetingfaces In testiniiony whereof I zillix my signature thereof extending' from e point below the we- .in presei'lee of two witnesses.

terlevel to a suitable distance above the wa- Y LEO SIMMONS. teilevel so that the bodyo'f Water will he re- 'Vl/imessesz fieeted in the reflecting device for the pur- VICTOR ANDERSON,

posespeeiecl, :L plurality of boats mleuged WVILFRED' HEARN.